Ready Roundup: Boys soccer squad making progress

Friday

In his first season as Ready boys soccer coach, Ronnie Maynard expected to face challenges in building the program after it had gone a combined 9-31-5 the past three years.

Some of the team's struggles have been the result of an "injury bug," which Maynard believes has hindered its progress.

After falling to DeSales 10-0 on Oct. 1 in their CCL finale, the Silver Knights were 0-13-1 overall and finished 0-4 in the league. They tied London at 1 on Sept. 18.

"There's going to be a learning curve any time a new coach takes over a program," Maynard said. "We're still trying to figure some things out. I'm very pleased with how our team continues to take strides in the right direction. ... Our record doesn't show all the hard work we've been putting in both on and off the field, but hopefully that changes in the next couple of weeks. We've had every opportunity to give up, but our boys continue to show up and continue to fight."

Juniors Garrison Budd and Keenan Johnston also have seen time in goal.

The Division III district tournament drawing is Sunday, Oct. 6.

"I'm hoping that our team is completely healthy by the time the tournament starts," Maynard said. "We have had so many injuries that our players' roles keep changing. They continue to adapt, too. We're starting to understand our roles and are starting to build the chemistry needed to be a successful program."

Football team preps for Warriors

The football team continues its schedule as an auxiliary member of the MSL-Ohio Division when it faces Harvest Prep on Friday, Oct. 11, at Fortress Obetz.

Before playing Columbus Academy on Oct. 3, the Knights had won back-to-back games and were 3-2.

The Warriors hadn't lost since falling 13-12 to Eastmoor Academy on Aug. 30 and were 4-1 before facing Grandview on Oct. 4.

The last time the programs met was in 2000, with Ready beating the Warriors 65-20 on its way to an 8-2 finish.

Harvest Prep, which went 1-9 in 2000, has emerged in recent years to make five consecutive playoff appearances. It won the MSL-Cardinal title the past five years before being moved to the MSL-Ohio this season.

Senior Langston Perry had rushed for 448 yards and three touchdowns through five games but, as a transfer from Pickerington Central, was expected to sit out the rest of the season because of OHSAA rules.

Senior Javon Eggert, who had 341 yards and one touchdown on 49 carries through five games, junior Rashaun Goines and sophomore Jaylen Jennings were expected to fill the loss of Perry in the backfield.

Junior quarterback Terrence Kee had thrown for 145 yards and passed for 163 through five games.

Ready senior running back Jack Foley missed his third consecutive game as the Knights beat Buckeye Valley 28-21 on Sept. 27, but junior quarterback Darius Parham went 8-for-14 passing for 109 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 139 yards and two scores on 17 carries. In addition, freshman running back Brian Fitzsimmons had 19 rushes for 88 yards and one touchdown and junior running back JeJuan McGowan added seven carries for 74 yards.

Senior A.J. Craddock, who is the team's kicker and punter, had an interception while playing in the defensive backfield to help preserve the win.

In addition, he recovered his own kickoff to begin the game.

"We noticed all week that on their kickoff return, the middle would be wide open, so we put our two big hitters right next to me and I kicked the ball 11 yards up the middle and the two hitters did their job to perfection and we recovered the opening kickoff," Craddock said.

"That interception will stay with me forever, by far the best one I've ever had especially in that point in the game when we were up seven with a minute to go."

Golf teams fall short of state

The boys and girls golf teams fell short of advancing to the Division II state tournament.

Competing in the boys district tournament Oct. 2 at Denison Golf Club were junior Mitchell Clark and sophomore Adam Bennett, who shot 103 and 107, respectively.

Junior Dario Scott and freshman Ryan Petrella also were on the boys team, which went 0-8 in the CCL as St. Charles won the league title at 8-0.

On Sept. 30 in the girls district tournament at Darby Creek, junior Clarissa Bachelder shot 101 to place 27th.

The girls team completed its season Oct. 5 with the CCL postseason tournament at NorthStar.